Chapter 5
Chapter Five
M ax
Lila is babbling about something in her fake English accent and the sane part of me knows that I should tell her I've made a mistake. She's far too impertinent and mouthy and I don't have time to make her the assistant that I need. I don't like those qualities in my assistants or my women; not that she will never be my woman. I need to get my mind and pants out of the gutter. I don't know why I'm so attracted to her. She is not my type, whatsoever.
A little birdy sounding just like Marie whispers in my brain that maybe what I need in my life is someone who isn’t "my type," but I ignore the voice just like I ignore Marie when she talks her nonsense to me in person.
Even though every brain cell in my head harkens to be heard, I ignore the doubts. I’m normally a smart man who thinks out his every move, but this decision had been impetuous. Hiring Lila may have been a mistake. Bet or no bet, she is far too distracting and the fact that we had flirtatious banter is not a good sign. I do not do flirting and I sure as shit do not do banter.
Especially not with beautiful capricious women that I just hired to be my new assistant.
“I’m not English,” she says suddenly, flapping her hands around again. She is far too animated for my liking, but I can’t seem to get angry at her. “I mean, I daresay I have a relative somewhere that’s from Great Britain, but don’t we all?” She grins. “Actually, I heard we’re all descended from this one African lady named Alice, I think. Isn’t that cool? Though kinda creepy as well. How can we date at all if we’re all related. Incest much?” She giggles again and her hand flies to her mouth. “Okay, maybe that’s not a funny joke, but?—”
“Lila.” I hold my hand up. I don't know whether to laugh or cry. I know Kingston is already counting on winning the bet based on their first interaction. “Take a seat and be quiet. I have a call.” I watch as she obediently sits down. At least she listens well.
“But what about the coffee?” she whispers, then shrugs as I glare at her and make my call. I turn my back on her and head toward the window and look out. I stare down at the line of women that has now grown even longer. I wonder why Lila decided not to go through with the audition. Did she think she wasn’t good enough? I turn around to study her again. This woman who has cascaded into my life like an impromptu typhoon is quite unlike anyone I've ever met. Women like Lila Haversham do not attend Harvard Law School.
I watch as Lila fiddles with her fingers as she sits stiffly in the leather chair. I can tell by the expression on her face that she's not quite sure what to do. She's looking down at her lap, most probably embarrassed from all the nonsense she'd been spilling at me. I listen to the phone ringing and withhold a deep sigh. I hate to be left waiting. The call goes to voicemail and I hang up.
"If you want to go and get that coffee and bagel now, you can," I say, almost casually, but I know there's a command in the stilted manner I speak. I need to be alone to think about the decision I've made. I need to decide whether or not this has been one of the worst mistakes of my life.
She looks up at me, her blue eyes filled with an expression I can't quite read. It's a mix of annoyance and worry. As if she’s pissed off at me. The thought makes my lips twitch. Like she has reason to be annoyed with me.
"So you want me to go and get the bagel and coffee now after all?" There’s an inflection to her tone that makes me want to spank her, but I don’t think she’s quite ready for that walk on the wild side. I don’t even think I’m ready for it yet, though I know I could be easily convinced. “Is that what you’re saying?” The exasperation in her voice is ridiculous, as if she doesn’t understand that this is, in fact, a part of her job.
"I do," I say. "Unless you need to babble on about something else in a bad accent."
She bites down on her lower lip and I try not to notice how pink and juicy they are. Something stirs in me but I ignore it. I know part of the reason I hired her is because she's attractive, but I don't normally hire assistants just because they're attractive. In fact, I hate to hire assistants based on looks because I don't want there to ever be any reason other than they just couldn't cut it for them to quit. Most women of a certain age like to shoot their shot with me and I’m just not interested in mixing business with pleasure, but for some reason, Lila has intrigued me enough to dismiss that concern.
"Are you going now?" I ask her as she stands up slowly. I stare down at the ticking hand on my Rolex, then lean back and gaze at her. Her skirt has ridden up, and if she were to shake once or twice, I’m pretty sure I’d be staring at her shapely ass.
Unfortunately, she pulls down her way-too-short skirt and holds her hand out. "Yes. I guess so.”
"You want to shake my hand before you leave or what?"
"The money," she says, staring at me with daggers in her eyes. "You're going to give me money to buy the coffee and the bagel, right?"
"You don't think I'm good for it?" I smirk, looking around the office, and tap my fingers against the solid wood desk. I can’t comprehend why I am playing these games with Lila, but I find that I’m enjoying myself.
"Well, I don't really know you like that," she says, shrugging, and I can't stop from laughing at the face that she makes. “I’ve watched enough Judge Judy episodes to know that you don’t go spending your own money without a contract.”
"Really Lila Haversham? You don’t think you can trust me for a five dollar coffee and bagel?"
"I don't know any bagels with lox and cream cheese that cost five dollars.” She wrinkles her nose. “Or perhaps, this is an alternate reality and we’re not in 2024 and this isn’t New York City.”
“What reality would you like us to be in?” I wonder if she’ll say the Stone Age. I wouldn’t mind picking her up over my shoulder and carrying her into my cave. She brings out the alpha male in me, that is for sure.
“Hmm, maybe in the future, like 2200, where we all fly in cars and men feed me all day.” She giggles and I realize I quite like the sound. It’s feminine and sweet and authentic. Much like her. The thought baffles me. I’ve never been drawn to a woman like this before.
“So are you going to give me money?” She clears her throat. “Because you're an attorney whose name is on the door and I am an assistant. I don't even know if my official title is that of legal assistant or personal assistant," she says, blinking at me like the differentiation matters tremendously. "Which one am I?"
"If you keep this up, you're not going to be either. At least not for me." I give her a pointed glance and rub my stomach. “Do you want this job?”
"Please don't fire me," she mumbles. "It really wouldn't make me feel good to get fired on my first day. Especially as it hasn’t even been ten minutes since I got the job." She pauses. "Well, maybe it's been twenty minutes. I don't know."
I continue staring at her without saying a word.
"You're going to fire me, aren't you?" She sighs deeply and rubs her forehead. "Look, I know. I'm not the ideal assistant or the best paralegal in the world, and I talk too much, but I am a quick learner and I really need this job."
"You're not the best paralegal or assistant in Manhattan . In fact, you're not the best assistant in this building. Maybe I made a mistake in hiring you so quickly." I will not tell her that I never would have hired her if it hadn't been for the bet.
"I get it," she says, taking a step closer to me. "But you're the one that hired me knowing that I'm an actress, or wannabe actress, and I’m guessing that was because you saw my potential." Her eyes are beseeching as she pleads with me.
"Potential for what?" I let out a long sigh. “I mean, if you were really serious about becoming an actress, wouldn't you have gone to the audition?"
"So you're judging me now. You're saying that I gave up before I even started?"
"I didn't say that."
"But that's what you're thinking."
"No, I think that's what you're thinking," I counter. "Why didn't you go to the audition? You came all this way across town for it. Right?"
She blinks and nods slowly. "I couldn't cry," she finally says.
"What?"
"I couldn't cry." She sighs. "One of the lines, you have to be really emotive and cry and I couldn't get the tears out. It was like I'd never experienced heartbreak or hurt in my life. And trust me when I say I have experienced heartbreak and hurt. In fact, I was dating this guy that..." She pauses. "I guess you don't really want to know about him."
"Unless you're going to tell me some exciting story about how you were dating a dominant and you were submissive and it’s a scintillating story, then no, I don’t care to hear about it."
"What?" she says loudly, her hand clasping over her mouth a moment later.
"Why are you looking shocked now, Lila?" My patience is leaving me.
"Did you just ask me if I'm a submissive? Are you a dom?" Her jaw drops as she paces back and forth. "Oh my gosh. Is this going to be one of those moments where you pull out a contract and then ask me to get into some dom-sub relationship with you? Is that why you're offering to pay me so much money? Oh my, I cannot believe this. I thought that was something that only happened in books and movies and on Tiktok.” Her eyes look me up and down like she’s considering an offer I never made. I am about to kick her out of my office when she runs her hands down the side of her body and looks me up and down like she’s actually excited about the idea.
I should tell her to leave my office.
But she’s so cute.
She will only bring drama to my life.
But I want to see her without her skirt on.
She will not make a good assistant.
But she will make you laugh.
She will put me behind in my work.
But watching her ride you in the mirror would be hot as hell.
Fuck it, I’m in trouble. I have been since the moment I looked at her.
I hold my hand up. "I don't know what books you are reading or what movies you're watching, but I'm not pulling out any contract or asking you to be my sub." I snort slightly. "Though, it would be interesting to see if you could play that role well.” My mind wonders what it would be like to have Lila as my submissive. I’d love to have her lying on a bed, tied to the headboard with handcuffs, while running a long feather down her naked body. I wonder if she's ticklish.
"What's that supposed to mean?" she asks indignantly, interrupting my sexy thoughts.
"I mean you haven't shut up since I met you and a good sub wouldn’t be as mouthy as you." Not that I’ve ever had one. Though, there is something quite exciting about the idea of taking Lila to the top of the mountain and making her wait for release.
"So you're saying that you're a dom and you don't want me because you think I talk too much?" Her hands are on her hips now.
"I'm saying that I'm not a dom. I don't know why on Earth you think I am. I'm saying that if I was a dom, you would not be the partner I would want as a sub. I don't think you'd make a good sub." I pause for a few moments. "But considering that I don't think you'll make a great assistant either, maybe I am not thinking with my head today, anyway." I smirk. “At least not the right one.”
She licks her lips nervously. "Okay. So you're not going to offer me a million dollars to sleep with you or anything?" She giggles slightly at my shocked look. "I take it you don't read any kinky romance books.”
“I don't read kinky or non-kinky romance books, and no, I'm not going to offer you a million dollars to sleep with you." I take a couple of steps forward and look down at her face. "And you know why?"
"Why?" she says, blinking up at me. "Don't tell me. You're not attracted to me."
"No, I think you're very attractive, Miss Haversham." I smirk as she blushes.
"Then why?"
"Because I don't think I'd have to give you even one dollar to sleep with me," I say softly.
Her jaw drops and her eyes widen. I can see her pulse beating quickly in her throat. She licks her lips nervously and I lean down and blow in her ear.
"Or are you saying that your panties aren't extremely wet right now?"
I hear her sharp intake of breath as she glances up at me.
"What did you just say to me?"
"Well, I could repeat it, but I think we both know what I just said. I'm not going to offer you a million dollars for kinky sex. I'm not going to give you a contract saying that you'll be my sub and I'll be your dom. I have no plans to bend you over my desk and spank you or whatever happens in those romance books that you read. But if you want to fantasize about me and everything that I could do to you, go ahead. I'm sure you don't really need my permission."
"I'm not interested in you whatsoever, and I certainly would not fantasize about you. I told you I have a boyfriend," she says, blinking quickly. Her face is bright red now. "And he would not like the nature of this conversation."
"But he'd like you to take a million dollars for sleeping with me?".
"I never said I would take the million dollars. I was just wondering if you were going to offer me a million dollars."
"I'm not offering you anything, sweetheart. And we both know that if I did, you would definitely be taking it."
"You really think so?" She shakes her head vehemently. "You must be out of your mind because?—"
"Because what? You don't find me attractive?"
I place my finger at the side of her face and run it along her jawline toward her lips. My thumb brushes her lower lip for two seconds before I push it into her mouth. She sucks it gently for a couple of seconds, then I pull it out and suck it myself, my eyes never leaving hers.
Then I step back and lick my lips as I lightly run my fingers down the side of her body. Her entire body is shaking, but as much as I want her, I’m not going to play the game. My phone is vibrating in my pocket and I know it’s business related. I’ve spent too much time allowing Lila to engage me with inane conversation and I need to be focused on work.
"Are you going to go and get my coffee and bagel now? I don't want to give your boyfriend any more reasons to be nervous about you working for me." I smirk as I lick my lips and she blushes a deep red, probably feeling guilty that her panties are wet for another man. Because I can almost bet that she's drenched. I mean, I'm harder than I've been in months, so I know she has to be at least as affected as I am.
She blinks at me for a couple of seconds. I can tell she's in shock. I can tell she's probably wondering if she should even come back to the office. I grab my wallet and pull out a fifty dollar bill and hand it to her. "Feel free to get whatever you want as well and you can keep the change."
She nods without saying anything and heads toward the door. "Oh, and Lila," I call out after her.
She pauses and looks back at me. She still looks absolutely stunned. "Yes, Mr.," she mumbles. "Um."
"Don't tell me you forgot my name already."
"Of course not. You're Mr..." She looks frazzled.
"Spector," I remind her.
"Yes. Max Spector. I will go and get your coffee and your bagel right now." She stares at me for a couple of seconds and I can see she is completely dazed. "Were you going to say something else, Mr. Spector?"
“Ocean or faucet?” I ask her, and she frowns, not understanding my question. I decide not to push it and instead turn around. The morning has already reached the pinnacle of inappropriateness and I need to stop.
I don't know why some sort of horny college boy has taken over my brain. It must be that short skirt, those long legs, and that innocent, sexy smile that she gives me every couple of seconds.
"Nothing," I say with a shrug. “Just hurry because there’s a meeting for all the new hires later today and I don’t want you to miss it.” I tap my fingers against the desk. "I need to ensure you're the best assistant this law firm has ever seen."